Bethel burton



N0. 6I3,24l. Patented Nov. 1, I898. B. BURTON.

comsmao BAYONET AND sun REST.

tNo Model.)

NrrEn STATES I PATENT ()FFICE.

BETHEL BURTON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COMBINED BAYONET AND GUN-REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,241, dated November1, 1898.

Application filed December 10, 1897. Serial No. 661,343. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BETHEL BURTON, resid ing at New York, (Brooklyn,) inthe county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Bayonets and Gun-Rests, of which the following isa specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawings.

This invention relates to a combined gunrest and bayonet.

The object of the invention is to produce a bayonet attachment for a gunwhich shall be swiveled or pivoted near the muzzle of the gun, so as tobe turned down alongside the fore-stock and there secured, or which canbe turned forward and there fixed as a bayonet, or which can be swungdown with its point on the ground, and thus used as a gun-rest whilefiring at an elevation from a prone position.

A bayonet is not much used with arms of modern construction except forguard duty. I have found a bayonet of from four to six ounces in weightand of a length of eight or ten inches projection from the gun-muzzle tobe quite a formidable weapon and amply sufficient for ordinary use of amilitary guard. Such a bayonet pivoted near the muzzle of a gun andallowed to swing so that its point rests on the ground furnishes a veryserviceable rest when the marksman is lying down and the gun aimed at anelevation, as it must be in firing one thousand to two thousand yardsand upward.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the muzzle portion of a gun, showingbayonet-rest turned back. Fig. 2 is a broken side elevation,partlyin-section, showing bayonet fixed. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of thepoint-catch Fig. 4, a cross-section, and Fig. 5 an elevation, of aknife-bayonet blade. Fig. 6 is a section at the front band; Fig. 7, adiagrammatic View showing manner of using the bayonet as a rest.

The gun-barrel 1 and fore-stock 2 may be of approved construction.Preferably the front band 3 will be near the muzzle or front sight ofthe gun and besides clasping the front stock to the barrel will alsohold the combined bayonet and rest.

The bayonet 4 is of such length as may be desired. The blade may beround, triangular, or fiat, the form shown in Figs. 2, 4, and

5 being a good form for a weapon. The shank of the bayonet is slotted,as at 5, and a notch 6 is formed in one side or edge of the shank. Theretaining screw, rivet, or swivel 7 of the front band passes-through theslot 5 'of the bayonet, and the front stock or its end cap is formed toafford a rest for the side of the bayonet-shank in either of thepositions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the bayonet being reversible on thispin 7 when the shank is drawn so that the pin 7 is at the end of theslot farthest from the point of the bayonet. When turned back, as inFig. 2, the point of the bayonet is held by a spring-catch or push-piece10, having a recess in its face and mounted in a socket 11, which socketis preferably held by the middle band 13 of the gun. The push or catchpiece 10 is pressed outwardly from its socket by a spring 14 and is heldbya pin 15, passing through a notch in the side, so as to permit alimited sliding movement of the catch 10 in its socket. The band 13 maybe in recesses in the sides of the socket 11, so that the socket isfirmly held. The catchpiece 10 is recessed, so as to receive the pointof the bayonet when swung back and hold it by spring-pressure. Thebayonet-point will thus be held firmly when in the recess; but whenswung out the catch 10 will no longer hold the bayonet. The end of thenotch 5 toward the bayonet-point is so far from the point as to justpermit the spring engagement of the catch 10 with the bayonet-point, asin Fig. 1. When the bayonet is swung or sprung down free from the catch10, the bayonet is then slid along on the screw 7 (dotted lines, Fig. 1)until the other end of the slot strikes the screw or pin 7, when thebayonet can be dropped down to serve as a rest, as in Fig. 7, or it canbe reversed ready to be fixed, as in Fig. 2. In .fixing the bayonetthe'point is turned forward and the slot then slid back to the positionof Fig. 2. At this position the notch 6 in the bayonet is caught by thespring-hook 16', and as the side of the shank lies between the ends ofthe band 3 and close to the stockor in a groove in a reinforce-piece 17of the stock the shank and bayonet will be held very firmly, the bayonetpoint projecting to the front. To unfix bayonet, the button 18, attachedto the spring of the hook 16, may be pressed in by the finger, when thehook 16 will be released, the bayonet may be moved forward the length ofthe slot 5, and will then drop down, pivoting on the pin or screw 7, soas to be in position to serve as a rest in sighting, Fig. 7, or beturned back, as in Fig. 1.

The edge of the bayonet is preferably not sharp; but, if desirable, aninch or so of the point of the blade may be sharpened, as indicated inFig. 5, and the point itself may be at one side of the center. Toprevent aberration in firing when the bayonet is fixed, it is desirablethat the edge of the bayonet be turned toward the axis of the gun, so asto interfere as little as may be with the escape of the gases from themuzzle.

In using the bayonet as a rest the point can be placed on the ground. Ifthe ground is soft, a button may be applied to the point; but thesoldier can usually find a cartridgeshell, a chip, or some other thingwhich may be used to prevent the entrance of the rest into the ground inthe few cases Where such a support is desirable. The bayonet or restbeing loosely pivoted on pin 7, the rounded end of the shank willsupport the gun by hearing against the stock or reinforce 1'7. The gunmay be carried forward or back, so as to bring the rest out ofperpendicular, to change the elevation of the muzzle.

By actual trial on the target-ground this rest has been found veryefficient to support the gun in longe-range firing.

WVhat I claim isl. The combination with a gun, of a bayonet pivotallyconnected thereto and catches by which the bayonet may be fixed withpoint projecting forward, or secured with point to the rear, or swungfrom the pivot with point downward to serve as a gun-rest, substantiallyas described.

2. The combination with a gun, of a bayonet havinglongitudinally-slotted shank, a pivot extending through the slot, and aretaining-catch engaging the shank by which the bayonet may be fixedwith the pivot resting at the front end of the slot, substantially asdescribed.

3. The combination with the front of a gun, of a bayonet having aslotted shank, a pivot passing through said slot, and a point-catch onthe stock in position to embrace the bayonet when swung backward withpivot lying in front end of slot.

4. The combination with a gunhaving a pivot thereon, of the slottedbayonet-shank, movable and reversible on said pivot, and means forholding the bayonetin fixed and reverse position, substantially asdescribed.

5. The combination with a gun of a bayonet-rest connected thereto by apivot-and-slot connection, the end of the shank being rounded andbearing against the lower part of the gun to relieve strain on the pivotwhen the bayonet is used as a rest,- substantially as described. I

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BETHEL BURTON.-

\Vitnessesi W. A. BARTLETT, CHAS. K. DAVIES.

